Topline
Millions of people are bracing for dangerous weather, major travel disruption and possible power outages across central and southern parts of the United States on Tuesday as schools and roads close and flights are canceled in response to the severe winter storm pushing through the country.
Ice storm warnings are in place for millions of people in the U.S..
Key Facts
Some 3.3 million people are under an ice storm warning and 17 million people are under a winter storm warning as of Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
The warnings are respectively issued when there is a risk of a quarter of an inch or more of ice accumulating and a combination of hazardous winter weather like heavy snow or sleet or enough ice to damage power lines.
“An extensive and very dangerous ice storm” will continue to hit areas from Texas to the Tennessee and Lower Ohio Valleys on Tuesday.
What To Watch For
Air travel disruptions. Nearly 1,000 flights within, into or out of the U.S. have already been canceled today, according to flight tracker FlightAware, with nearly 500 more delayed. Texan travel has been particularly hard hit, with between a quarter and a third of flights out of Dallas-Fort Worth International, Austin-Bergstrom International and Dallas Love Field airports canceled. Some 14% of flights out of Nashville International have also been canceled. The disruption comes after airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights on Monday.
Key Background
A blast of cold Arctic air moving down from Canada is responsible for the icy conditions. Ice is a particularly dangerous weather hazard and even a small buildup can create challenging, even lethal, conditions for motorists and pedestrians alike. Freezing rain—where rain freezes almost instantly—is especially dangerous as it can build up on trees and power lines, possibly triggering outages. There are relatively few power outages reported at the moment, according to tracker PowerOutage.us, with more than 7,600 customers out in Arkansas and nearly 5,200 in Michigan early Tuesday morning. Experts in Texas have said they are confident the state’s infrastructure will be able to weather the cold conditions, which are reportedly different from the conditions that triggered the widespread outages during a cold snap in 2021.
Further Reading
Heavy Rain And Frigid Temperatures Threaten Up To 15 States—Here’s What To Watch For (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/01/31/millions-prepare-for-treacherous-weather-and-travel-chaos-as-dangerous-ice-storm-surges-south/